Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	spirit_n	temple_n	worship_v	2,613	5	9.6572	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89853	Several petitions answered, that were put up by the priests of Westmorland, against James Nayler and Geo. Fox, servants of the most high God, persecuted by the priests of the world, as Jesus Christ and the apostles were persecuted by the Jewish high priests for the witnessing of the truth, and testifying against the deceits of the world. With the answer to an order given forth by the justices at Appleby sessions, contrary to the law of God, and the laws of the land. Also, an exhortation to the people, to mind the light of God in them, the teachings and leadings of the spirit of truth; the which if it be obeyed, will lead and guide them into all truth.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.; R. F. (Richard Farnworth), d. 1666.; Fox, George, 1624-1691.	1653 (1653)	Wing N316A; Thomason E703_4; ESTC R3636	42,778	72

that which we preach is not after man neither according to mans will but by the will of God For we are not made Ministers by Oxford and Cambridge for that we deny Gal. 1. 21 12. Gal. 1. 1. We stand condemned by you who are Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit who are Ministers by the will of man and your Call and Authority is by the will of man Obj. Hvae filled it in some parts with very sad divisions Answ Truth did make division when Deceit was at peace For Christ said I come not to send peace on the Mat. 10. 34 35 earth but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against her mother the daughter in law against the mother in law and here is the Scripture fulfilled Pr. Obj. Stirred up much wrath and strife even between the neerest relation Answ It seems hatred wrath and strife were within now truth hath stirred it up When the strong man armed keeps the house all the goods are at peace till a Mat 3. 27. Luke 17. 20 21. stronger come and dispossesses him and spoyls his goods and here is the Scripture fulfilled where the 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 John 3. 8. power of truth dwels and the Kingdom of God is come who are indeed the Temples of God the works of the Divell destroyed hatred malice wrath strife heresie and blasphemy pride hypocrisie and dissembling where the truth rules these are destroyed and where these rule truth rules not and consider all you pretended Ministers what you have been doing all this while that there is so much wrath and strife to be stirred up when the truth comes for that is it that sets at variance O all people consider what blind guides you have been led withall why spend you your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Ho every one that thirsteth Isai 55. 1 2 3. come freely without mony and without price hearken diligently unto me saith the Lord that your souls may live Pr. Obj. And powerfully seduced multitudes of people from the truth Answ Whereas we are accused as seducing people from the truth it is false for how can they be in the truth who live in malice cnvy strife and wrath for they that live in that nature are turned from the truth which according to your own words much of that is Mat. 15. 9. Col. 2. 22. 1 John 2. 26 27. stirred up The Lord hath sent us and made us to come into this County to draw up people unto himselfe from the Doctrines and Worships of the world John 11 7. All people are seduced by you whom God hath never sent for I will prove by the Scriptures that you are seducers and draw people from the teaching within them to follow your imaginations what you can study out of the letter which the holy men of God spoke forth freely the which now you make a Trade of And Iohn 1 Joh. 2. 26 27. said These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you you need not that any man teach you but as the anointing teaches you all things Now if an hundred or a thousand people should come and deny all you Priests and witness they had this anointing within them then this Scripture being fulfilled John 15. 25. and you denied such you go about to persecute which witness this anointing within them and need no man teach them Herein you shew that you have not the same spirit that was in them that wrot that Epistle but the spirit of the world the world did not know them then which were taught by that anointing but hated them as you do now them that witness the same annointing ye hate ye are the Antichrists of this world and hate them who are not of this world and seek to bring them from their teacher within to follow you who go in the way of Cain to envy and after the error Jude 11. of Balaam Here you shew your selves to be seducers and such we do deny but to every mans conscience do we look to be made manifest and we do not seek to draw any one from the anointing within them but do exhort all there to wait and abide for the promise which is eternall life to them that abide in the anointing 2 Cor. 4. 2. 1 John 2. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 3. but you false accusers are without which the Scripture speaks of Pr. Ob. And from the worship of God Answ That is false to say we draw any from the truth for we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth as the Apostle saith but all corrupt wayes we deny and abhorre and the worship of the wicked we deny who have not their names written in the Lambs Book of life and God is not worshipped with mens hands neither dwels he in Temples made with hands and for witnessing this Steven was stoned to death when the high Priests examined him which generation you shew your selves to be in the same nature holding up outward Temples and Synagogues which we deny and seek to draw people from these things God is a Spirit and he that worships him must worship him in spirit and in truth and this worship we own Rev. 13. 8. Ioh. 4. 22 25. Acts 19. 27 24 and draw people to it up to God from all beastly worships outward Customes imitated of man which is an abomination unto the Lord. Pr. Ob. To imbrace their corrupt and dangerous doctrines and pernitions ways which things are so notoriously known to all men that live in these parts that we need not here say any thing to acquaint your selves with it Ans Corrupt Doctrines pernicious ways we deny which are all your ways you proud Baals Priests for 2 Pet. 2. 2. 15. 2 John 1. 9. Luke 7. 9. he that doth abide in the Doctrine of Christ hath God and he that doth not abide in the Doctrine of Christ is of the Divell Iesus Christ is made manifest who witnesses forth the eternall truth to poor souls who have lived in darkness and blindness these many hundred years have the dark ministery reigned but now the God of power is uttering his thunders and Rev. 10. 34. making his power known and the eternal word of God is made manifest in us this we witness which we preach forth to the glory of our Father Praises praises be unto thee alone Lord God Almighty who art now setting up thy own Kingdom And the same judgement do ye give upon us as the Jews did upon Christ and the Apostles for the Apostle while he was in the Jewish Religion in their outward worship as you are now they looking for a Christ coming without them as you do now at which time Paul was at peace with them but when he did preach Iesus Christ that was revealed Acts 21. 27 28 30. in

concernment we shall ever pray Answ You are blinde without the truth and Prov. 28. 9. your prayers are an abomination unto the Lord and they who have the gracious guidance of the Tit. 2. 11 12. Lord will witness us for the free grace of God that brings salvation you have turned into wantonness it teacheth them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts them we own where this grace doth guide we have unity with them but where this free grace hath appeared and is turned into wantonness them we deny and there is your conditions the grace of God hath appeared in many of the Justices which hath brought them from under your bondage which will not be your Executioners to execute your wrath and malice upon the harmless innocent people It hath been of late that they who lived under your Ministry the Lord alone was pleased to manifest himself in them so that they are brought to deny you and declare what was freely revealed in them presently you cryed out against them and had them before Magistrates to suppress the truth praised be the Lord who hath enlightened many by and with his own light and is setting up his own Kingdom to his own glory praises praisesbe unto the Lord God Rev. 11. 15. Almighty never did the Apostles go to any Magistrate to suppress people strangers who witnesse forth the power of truth in any where it appears that you have not the same Spirit that was in them It is the evil in you which would have the truth it self suppressed It is of great concernment for you to stand up to maintain your Kingdom for if truth rise ye shall lose your Kingdom eternally shall you witness us to be no Seducers be ye witnesses against your selves Mat. 23. 31. that ye are witnesses against the power of truth Another Petition put up by the Priests in Westmerland Priests Petition TO the Right Honorable the Justices of peace for this County of Westmerland Answ That which is Right Honorable is that which is pure which is of God which worships the Father of heaven and earth now all people fear John 5. 41 44. the Lord Jesus Christ and see if there be not corruption within that would be honored and worshipped as ye read in all the Scriptures they who honored the Lord Iesus Christ cryed against deceits and Iesus Christ testified against the works of the world and the Apostles testified against the same but that which was pure they John 7. 7. set up in their souls and so do we and honor in our souls Priests Petition The humble Petition of several Gentlemen Ministers of the Gospel and others friends and servants to Iesus Christ his Gospel truths and Ordinances and the general wealth of this Commonwealth and Nation Answ Never did the Gospel Ministers put up a Petition to a Magistrate to maintain the Gospel nor the servants of Iesus Christ wherein it appears Mat. 10. 10. 2 Cor. 10. 14. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 1 John 3. 12. John 4. 21 22 23 24. that you are Ministers of the Letter which is carnal and death and you must have a carnal weapon to hold you up for shame give over your Profession and you profess humbleness your humbleness is to persecute here you shew forth the nature of Cain and void of the knowledge of Iesus Christ and the Ordinances of Iesus Christ was never set up by man but man who lived in his own will was ever against them and you know not his Ordinances for they that knew his Ordinances were not persecutors but Paul before he was a Minister of Iesus Christ and knew his Ordinances he came with Letters from the Priests to persecute the Saints who believed in Iesus Christ and were of one soul and Acts 9. 2. Acts 22. 4. Acts 20. 7. Acts 4 32. met together yea in the night time all night where it shews you have but the form not the power which must be turned away from according to Scripture Priests Petition Sheweth that in the late wars we or the most of us did expose lives liberties estates and relations with all other personal advantages in the just defence of Religion and Liberty in concurrence with and maintenance of the just proceedings of our Parliament after the prosperous effects whereof we expected the settlement of the grand ends of our Engagement and so much the more as being the promise of the Parliament the vows of their affections the price of our prayers purses hazards losses banishments and the blood of many thousands our fellow servants in the work of God freely sacrificed in the quarrel of this Nation what hath been done in the settlement of our Civil Rights Peace and wholsom Law we bless God for and the Parliament as his Instruments nor can we but acknowledge what hath been done by them in the cause of God as their Acts against Adulteries Fornication Swearing Drunkenness Sabboth-breaking Ordinances against Promoters of Heretical Doctrines Acts against Ranters or Blasphemers may the Lord increase the number of these things Answ If ye will own the wholsom Law ye will own us but this is but a pretence for who owns the wholsom Law denies all corruption this is but a pretence whereby ye make a colour to make them that live in the truth to appear odious unto the world setting forth your selves unto the world Pharisee like and there to make the pure truth odious through your envious mindes but the day doth declare all things your end will 1 Cor. 3. 13. make it manifest though you pretend your selves to be Ministers of the Gospel yet your ends will 1 Cor. 3. 13. shew you to be bloody Cains and it doth now begin to appear the second birth is brought forth which doth not own your sacrifices this birth you 1 Cor. 15. 47 48 49. seek to slay Pr. Obj. Yet so it is that in this County severall persons proselytes of one Geo. Fox and James Nayler do in the time of our Assemblies ordinarily in a way of contempt and scorn come in anong us with their hats on at time of our prayer or singing used in our Gongregations some of them shew violent actions in time of Sermon or prayer or singing and cry out aloud with horrible clamors slanders abuses reproaches against our Ministers Answ That is false for our friends shew no violent actions but are against them but come peaceably in and if they be moved by the Lord to cry aloud who art thou that wilt withstand the Lord Do not you read in the Scripture that the Lord sent his Prophets and bad them cry aloud and spare not And as for clamors Isa 58. 1. we utterly deny it is your own and as for slanders abuses reproaches we utterly deny it is your own we are against all filthy minds that give forth reproaches but we speak the same language the Scripture doth from the same Word that gave it forth and your

SEVERAL PETITIONS ANSWERED That were put up by the Priests of WESTMORLAND Against James Nayler and Geo. Fox Servants of the most High God persecuted by the Priests of the world as Jesus Christ and the Apostles were persecuted by the Jewish high Priests for the witnessing of the truth and testifying against the deceits of the world With the answer to an Order given forth by the justices at Appleby Sessions contrary to the Law of God and the Laws of the Land Also an exhortation to the people to mind the light of God in them the teachings and leadings of the Spirit of Truth the which if it be obeyed will lead and guide them into all truth This is the condemnation That light is come into the world and men love darkness rather then light because their deeds are evill He that loves the light brings his deeds to the light that the light may prove them but he that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that loveth the truth and doth that which is righteous cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. 19 20 21 verses Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous he that committeth sin is of the Divell In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Divel whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother 1 Iohn 7 8 9 10. Marvell not if the world hate you it hated me before it hated you Iohn 1● 18. Blessed are you when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evill for the Son of Mans sake rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold great is your reward in heaven for in the like manner did their fathers unto the Prophets Luke 6. 22 23. London printed for Giles Calvert at the Black spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1653. An Epistle to the Reader Christian Friends REmember the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who said the servant was not greater then his Lord and saith he if they have persecuted me they will persecute you also and saith he marvell not if the world hate you it hated me before it hated you if ye were of the world the world would love you but because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you but these are the fruits of darkness that ariseth from Cains generation they that are after the flesh t ey persecute them that are after the Spirit it is the world that persecutes and as they are in their naturall state and condition they know not God but are enemies both to him and His where he is made manifest in Spirit they that are in the corrupt nature are ignorant of him according as it is written in the Epistle to the Corinthians the naturall man knowes not the things of God because they are spiritually discerned and no man knowes the Father but the Son neither knoweth any man the Son but the Father and he to whom the Son reveals him there is no knowing of God but by the Revelation of his Spirit but naturall men such as the Priests of the world who are ignorant of God and are onemies to him being guided by the spirit of error standing up in actuall Rebellion against God now that he is Revealing his Son in the hearts of his people and leading them by the Divine light of his holy Spirit out of Egypt out of bondage and darkness wherein they have been held in the time of the fall while the mystery of iniquitie hath been working and Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God as God shewing himself to be God and the Priests of the world have been casting a mist before the eyes of the understandings of the people by their Greek Latin and Hebrew which is but dung and drosse earthie and ayrie hath driven the people into earthly conceivings imagination having no other knowledge of God but by conceiving and imagining of him are of those whom the Lord complains of by his servant the Prophet saying This people draweth near me with their mouth and with their lips do they honor me but their hearts is far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men therefore thus saith the Lord I will gather those that have been scattered in the Cloudie and dark day and I will teach them my self and write my Law in their hearts and put my Spirit in their inward parts then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it and I will take you from among the hearthen and gather you out of all Countries and sprinkle clear water upon you and cleanse you from all your uncleanness a new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will cause you to walk in my statutes to do them Ezek. 36. Chapter Now the Lord is fulfilling his Promises made of old to the seed of Abraham after the spirit the Immortall seed that is begotten not by the will of man but by the will of God and born again of water and the spirit being separated from all uncleanness and they that live in the filth of the flesh fulfilling the lusts thereof know them not that are born again washed and cleansed sanctified and justified and are taught of God and made pertakers of the Divine nature but are enemies to them it is the same generation now that persecuts that persecuted from the beginning but it is but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled the Beast shall make War with the Saints God and Magog joyns together in Battle against the Lamb the Priests of the world are the greatest persecutors of the truth of God Now as the High Priest was when Jesus Christ came in the flesh the chief Priests were the greatest persecutors of him then stirring up the Rulers and Elders and the rude multitude against him calling him A deceiver and A blasphemer and they spued forth their envie against him in raising false witnesses against him and every way incensing the People against him to cry out to have him put to death Saying Crucifie him Crucifie him and let us have Barabbas let loose which was a murderer and if thou do but Read this little ensuing treatise thou shalt finde something worthy of thy labour being single eyed thou wilt be brought to see Antichrist or the man of sin in A high measure the mystery of iniquitie acting in the Priests of the world that do professe themselves to be the Ministers of Christ but are of the Synagogue of Satan and are enemies to Jesus Christ where he is made manifest and raised up in the spirits of any to testifie against their deceits wherein they do deceive

in the flesh and your Ministry is carnall Cain is alive in you and the soul ye know not for it is in the death therefore dissemble not thou deceiver telling people of a soul for thou art him that keepes in the death and shuts the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 23. 13. Jam. 5 6. Acts 7. 52. from against men and knowes not the soul for that is shut up from thy understanding that minde shall never know it thou art a murderer of the just and watchest for thy means and if meu will not give it thee thou fues them at the law therefore dost thou use carnall weapons to maintain thee in thy carnall Ministry it shewes thy weapons to be carnall and not spirituall shewing thy Kingdom to be of this world And here doth not thou shew forth damnable doctrines for shame blush Impious principles and practises we deny they are your own which keepes poor souls in death your preaching the carnall Letter to the carnall minde and your carnall weapons will not maintain you but you seek to a Magistrate here you shame your profession for where the truth is springing the pure seed arising you cannot suppress it with your carnall weapon the Letter then you run to a Magistrate without to suppress it while we all lived under your Ministry and what you spoke we took it for truth as being naturally blind hearing you blind then you owned us but God now Mat. 15. 14. of his infinite love and mercy according to his promise hath gathered us who have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day following such shepherds as you which fed your selves and cloathed your selves with the wooll made a prey upon us and sought for the Fleece Ezek. 24 12. 13. 14. 8. 10. but God as he hath said he hath fulfilled I will gather my sheep from their mouthes and my sheep shall be a prey no longer unto them and will feed them in a good pasture and we witness the Scripture fulfilled therefore do you hate us and seek to persecute them in whom Jesus Christ is made manifest but it is that the Gal. 4. 29. 2 Tim. 3. 12. Scripture might be fulfilled he that is born after the flesh persecutes him that is born after the spirit and if any man live godly in Christ Jesus he must suffer persecution here the Scripture is fulfilled you shew your selves to be carnall indeed you must have an outward Authoritie to rule your Religion for shame give over your profession for pure Religion he that lives in it and walkes in it hath power over his own tongue and is kept unspotted from the world and doth visit the fatherless Jam. 1. 26. 27. widowes and strangers and this hath not an outward power to order it but is guided and ordered by the spirit of the Lord to the Lord himself to whom be praises for ever and such we own in our souls and such ye seek to persecute and instead of relieving and Rev. 8. 14. receiving strangers you give them a report or scandall as wanderers that the Scripture might be fulfilled who preached the everlasting Gospel the world knew not and who forsook their own country and sought for another whom the world was not worthy of and you Heb. 11. 38. Heb. 13. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 10. shew your selves to be of that generation he that was a minister of God did exhort to receive strangers by that means some received Angels and the same eternal word hath God made manifest and sent his servants to witness it forth and to warn you all of wo and misery that will come upon all uncleanness and ungodliness and some of them you prison some of them you beat Mat. 10. 17. Mat. 27. 1. 20. Mat. 26. 3. 4. and mock and scourge in your Synagogues and some of them you hale before Magistrates And the chief Priests were ever the ringleaders to slay the righteous seed where it was born wherein the Scriptures come to be fulfilled and you shew the fulfilling of them upon the children of the Lord and the words of Jesus Christ true but he is coming who bears the government upon Isa 9. 6. Psal 23. 1. Col. 1. ●8 1 Thes 1. 1. his shoulders he alone will rule them who rules all nations with a rod of iron he alone will be their teacher and their Shepherd he alone rules his Church who is the head but this Church is not of this world nor maintained by any weapon of this world the true Church is in God yours vvithout vvho maintain it with a carnall vveapon you vvould have a speedy suppressing of the truth vvhere it is risen here you shevv your selves to be of that number vvho call evil good Isa 5. 20. Acts 13. 50. Acts 22. 22. and good evil and even the generation of them that vvould ever have had truth suppressed when it was risen Amos 7. 12. as they said to Christ depart out of our coasts as they said to Paul 't is not fit such a fellow should live upon the earth as to Amos go thy way into Judah prophecie there thatvvas the Kings chappell and he told them the songs of the Temple should be turned into Amos 8. 3. pla 119. 120. howling so shall that nature which hath turned Davids quakings and trembling into meeter when ye read them hats ye keep on and vvhen ye sing them hats ye put off and worship the vvorks of your own hands shewing the spirit of error Pr. Obj. By the checking the vvicked endeavours and proceediugs of these men Answ That is the blasphemer indeed vvhich vvould have the truth chect and be limitted It is vvritten the beast shall blaspheme God and his Temple And Rev. 13. 6. God hath raised up a light in many that are Justices to reprove that nature in you vvhich is fawning and flattering and you will fawn upon them vvhile they vvill Mica 3. 5. give you means but if they give you no means then you prepare vvar against them Pr. Obj. Which vve humbly conceive may be at least by ordering James Nayler and Geo. Fox being strangers to depart out of this County and to return unto their own homes Ans You pretended Ministers of Christ which do but conceive with an earthly power to hinder the proceedings of that which you conceive to be error which is the eternall truth and which conceivings arise out of pride Here it shews that you have not an infallible judgement and as it is written God will scatter the Luke 1. 15. proud in their imaginations and there is your portion All people though you now despise us and cast reproches slanders upon us ye shal eternally witness us but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled There shall be false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of them that are good having a form of godliness and 2 Tim. 3. 3 4 5 and so on denying the power thereof vvhich the

Ministers which go in that path which all the holy men of God cried out against Isa 56. 10. 11. we speak the same language against them that they did and by the same spirit we see them take all people to record to judge who have a light in their understandings and the fear of the Lord to judge do not your Priests bear rule by your means and was it not a horrible filthy thing Ier. 5. 30 31. Ier. 10. 21. in the time of Jeremy and is not the same held up in this age now and do they not seek for their gain from their Quarters greedy dumb dogs Do not they take money for that which is not bread And do they not now seek for the fleece cloath with the wooll and make a prey of the people which Ezekiel cryed wo against And are you not Hirelings which Micah cried Micah 3. 11. against and them that put not into your mouthes you prepare warrre against them sue them at the Law and are you not called of men Masters Mat. 23. 6 7 8. Have not ye the chiefest places in the Assemblies Stand praying in the Synagogues And do you not lay heavy burdens upon the people which Jesus Christ cried wo against such Are not you in the same steps here Let the Scripture it self judg you and do not you draw people to those things which there is no Scripture for telling them of a Sacrament for which there is no Scripture telling them of sprinkling infants which there is no Scripture for telling people they are Ordinances all such Ordinances we deny but the Ordinances of God we own And doth not the Scripture say He that addes or diminishes the plagues are added Rev. 22. 18. Gal. 3. 1. unto him And were not the Galatians bewitched who were drawn from the anointing within them which God had commanded And do not you draw people to the things there is no Scripture for telling people they are Ordinances and are not you in the same generation bewitching people drawing them from the Spirit of the Lord within them to follow your imagination and them that do not you persecute them who obey the commands of God and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ to walk in the truth in the inward man which is unknown to you in the world but Mat. 10. 22. it is that the Scripture might be fulfilled They shall be hated of all men for my names sake and they through fained words shall make merchandize of you saith the Apostle who go in the way 2 Pet. 2. 3. 13 14 15. of Cain to murther who love the wages of unrighteousness who have the Spirit of error and causes people to erre for the minde that goes from the pure within is erred and that sets up Baal without before God but all whose mindes are guided by the Spirit of the Lord up to God deny all Baals Priests now do not say this is railing or false accusing in these steps are you which the holy men of God cryed out against read your selves and let all men judge and as for coming into your Synagogues with hats on when ye are singing of Psalms thou Priest hast not thou one or two caps on and when ye read Psalms hats must be on and when ye sing them hats must be off here ye worship the works of your own hands As Davids tremblings quakings wastings weepings roarings till his sight grew dim and watered his bed with his tears and roared all the day long Psal 6. 23 6 7. prophesies praises prayers these you sing having turned them into Rime crying Let ussing to the praise and glory of God which is all to his dishonor if one should see one of you lie in Davids condition weeping and roaring and turn it into Metre and go among a deal of ignorant people and cry let us sing to the praise and glory of God would you not say we made a Ryme of you as you have made of David All such practises and singings we deny but we will sing with the Spirit and with Grace and Understanding The Apostles which you profess in words you do not read that when they went into the world they gave Davids Experiences in Metre to sing but 1 Cor. 14. 15. Mark 7. 13. Col. 2. 8. was against all Traditions of men and so are we now with the same Spirit Priests Petition To the stirring up of woful tumults evident disturbance of the work and the turning of the peaceable Assemblies of the Church of Christ into the grossest confusion Answ For shame never mention your Churches to be the Churches of Christ which will so soon be turned into confusion do not so dishonor the Lord Jesus Christ and so little esteem his Chruch which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and can the Pillar and Ground of Truth be shaken 1 Tim. 3 15. A Church must be that which is the Ground and Pillar of Truth the Church of Christ needs not have a carnal weapon to maintain it but it is now as it was they who had received the substance came into the Assemblies witnessed forth the substance and were haled forth and bruised and Acts 7. 48. Acts 21. 30. abused stocked and stoned so do you us now almost smothered in your Assemblies how dare you say ye are peaceable when ye are so in rage against a peaceable people who come among you for your souls good that ye may be directed unto the Lord when eternally ye shall witness us though now you would devour us Priests Petition That their deportent is such and with so continual violence against the most godly of our Ministers in all places in their travels in the streets abusing them with railing language scornful behaviours walking in the Markets with such great numbers together Answ As for violence we deny it it is your own you shew it daily and in this Petition you make it appear As for godly Ministers such we set up who are made Ministers by the will of Gal. 1. 1. God and not by the will of man but such as are made Ministers by Oxford and Cambridge such we deny they who are made Ministers by the will of Godwill not persecute any but here you make your selves manifest not to be such for if ye were ye would own us As touching railing language scornful behaviour it is false it is your own and herein you do abuse us such practises we deny which are according to the course of the world Was it not the practise of the Apostles to dispute Ephess 2. 2. Acts 19. 8. Acts 17. 17. Mat. 24. 34 35 dialy in the Markets in the Schools in the Synagogues and their practise here you do deny and shew your selves to be in that generation that persecuted the Apostles who now persecutes us where the same power is made manifest but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled for every jot and tittle must be

fulfilled Priests Petition And scarce passing by any not of their judgement without abusing words that it cannot but shew us as no small Symptomes of bad designs so no small reason to provide for our security Answ As for abusive words it is false it is the abusive minde that speaks which now appears to scandal the truth Several of us who be of one heart meet together sometimes in the Market and sometimes in other places and if we see pride and drunkenness and be moved to reprove and exhort see and hear cursed speakers swearers moved to reprove and exhort them or men fighting and brawling cozening cheating deceitful marehandizing lying and disembling which we say wo is upon do you call this abusive and we bid them repent and turn unto the Lord while they have time and now to prize it for the great day of the Lord is coming wherein every one Rom. 14. 12. shall give an account And the Apostle warned all small and great to turn unto the Lord and repent which we cannot but do the same who have found mercy of the Lord who brought us to repentance and changed our lives and this is it which you call abusive And poor creatures ye need not seek for security for there is none of them who are friends of the truth and in the truth that will hurt you Now do you shew your selves to walk in the Apostles practise or quite against it here you openly shew your selves to be men who would uphold iniquity and vice and would not have it reproved but persecute such who reprove the wicked whose righteous souls are vexed as 2 Pet. 2. 8. Prov. 10. 24. Jer. 17 5. just Lots was with your filthy Conversation who uphold iniquity and live in it T is written The wicked shall fear where there is not fear and did not the true Prophet say Cursed is he that makes flesh his arm and outs his strength in man Priests Petition That it is their great design to stir up the spirits of people against the Ministers of England in general without distinction setting forth and sending abroad daily almost Libels and slanders against the Office as needless Answ The Spirit of God if it be raised up Rom. 8. 10. we do witness it will testifie against you and all your practises and whereas we are moved to write abroad shewing forth the errors and deceits of you which as a scandal you call to be Libels but if ever you own the Prophets Christ and the Apostles ye will own them which are given forth by the same power and Spirit and all your Offices which are made by man and are of man we deny and slanders we deny they are your own and now you vent them forth Priests Petition Terming them as or under the names of Antichrists Antichrists Merchants Tythe Mongers Robbers Deceivers Ministers of the world Priests Murtherers Conjurers Devils and attempting to make Proclamations in the open markets to the said effect Ans Are you not Antichrists do not you act those things Christ forbids and upholds that which Christ doth forbid shewing your selves to be Antichrists do not you mount up into the highest places in Assemblies are called of men-Masters Mat. 23. 2 Pet. 2. 3. which Christ forbids and said to his be ye not called so And do not you buy and sell the Letter make merchandize of it when as the Minister of God said that the gift of God could not be Acts 8. 18. 23. 19 20. bought and sold for money and said he was in the gall of bitterness who thought to buy it and here you shew your selves to be in the gall of bitterness repent repent that the thoughts of your hearts may be changed and Job said that Job 28. 15 16. the wisdom of God cannot be bought and sold for money nor gold nor pearls nothing is to be compared unto it and do not you shew your selves to be merchants of the Letter for the gift of God cannot be bought and sold And do not you openly shew your selves to take Tythe of people and do not walk according to the Law Levi who received Tythes the strangers fatherless Deu. 26. 12 13 Deut. 14. 29. and widows were to come within his gate and be filled which ye do not so shewing the spirit of error and yet would be maintained in your deceit but God in his infinite love hath raised up Luke 1. 79. a light gathering his people from you discovering your deceit Are ye not Robbers do not you steal the words of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and sell them for money and so are Theives and Robbers which Iesus Christ spoke of which goes not in at Jer. 23. 30. Iohn 10. 1. the door but climb another way and that Generation persecuted Christ and here you shew your selves to be persecuting them in whom he is risen Are ye not deceivers when as you draw people to those things God never commanded and tell people they are Ordinances of God As sprinkling of infants and saying the Steeple-house Col. 2. 22. 20. 21. is the Chruch and the house of God and tells people ye are the Ministers of God when he never sent you but studies a Devination of your own brain and not from the mouth of the Lord here you shew your selves to be Conjurers and hold up outward Temples Traditions and Customs Tythes Formal Singing Praying do you not here shew your selves to be Ministers of the world for what is acted outwardly is worldly your original is worldly your Hebrew Latine and Greek is worldly your Church is worldly but the Saints Church is in God as Paul Silvanus 1 Thess 1. 1. 1 John 3. 15. and Timotheus to the Church of the Thessalonians which was in God Do not you shew your selves to be murtherers in the generation of the Priests Cain like do you not shew it openly do not ye seek to persecute and put in prison some you have imprisoned some you have haled out of your Assemblies some ye have stoned and buffeted do not you shew your selves to be of the generation with the Priests whose Ministry was worldly and so ever the Ministry of the Letter persecuted the Ministers of the Spirit so it is now here the Scripture is fulfilled And are not you of the Devil they that abide not in the truth are of the Devil and do not 2 John 1. 9. you shew your selves to be Devils of the Devil Murtherers he was a murtherer from the beginning and which of you can say you come to the beginning but are seeking now to destroy the innocent a peaceable harmless people to bring them into prison and into bondage do not you shew your selves to be murtherers seeking to devour as the Iews who said God was their Father when they went about to kill Christ and were of their father the Devil doing the lusts of their father which generation you shew your John 8.

therefore do you persecute me because I testifie against you that your deeds are evill And dealing with the Divel I utterly deny and the works of darkness for he that is born of God sins not neither can he because 1 John 3. 8. 9. the seed of God remains in him and the evill one cannot touch him but if they call the master of the house Beelzebub what will they do unto the children So it was Jesus Christ Lord and Master had that portion of the world it is the same now where he is made manifest in any the same generation persecutes it is no strange thing Mat. 10. 25. Pr. Petition That we know the Principles of some of their followers are against subjection to Magistrates against distinction amongst men and the practices of the most is such that there is a denying of relations children professedly refusing subjection to their Parents and servants to their masters Answ Whereas you say we are not subject to justice that is false for conscience sake let every soul be subject to the higher power for all power is of God and he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God So for conscience sake we honor justice and all men in the Lord but as for respecting persons we deny for the Scripture Rom. 13. 1 2. denies the same he that respects persons commits sin and is a transgressor of the Law He that was a minister of Iesus Christ said this Here you James 2. 9. Rev. 22. 15. shew your selves to be without and no ministers of God but would have others to transgress the law of God O false accusers where do any walk stubbornly against their parents but for conscience sake they cannot yeeld to those things which carnally they would have them act as follow the worship of the world without them and not worworship God in Spirit and set up your teachers of the world God hath raised up a light in many John 4. 23. Luke 1. 79. Mat. 21. 16. Mat. 11. 25. young children draws them to himselfe and you spue forth your venom against them servants and children because they will not hold you up and now when you are like to fall If Christs words should be fulfilled where he saith Call no man father upon earth and he that loves Father or Mat. 23. 9. Mat. 10. 37. mother more then me is not worthy of me what would you say to that Fathers and mothers pass away and that love that is in the flesh but the Father the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is for ever and who owns him will not walk in disobedience to any thing but the evill and if God put into the mouth of any servants to speak that doth Acts 2. 18. not take them from faithfulness in the outward to their masters where they are But you accusers which have the form of godliness but deny the power ever shew forth your selves Where do any of the servants masters go to complain to the Magistrates But you Priests shew your selves 1 Tim. 5 13. busie about other mens matters only to hold up your own profits and accuse the just with many false and scandalous slanders Pr. Petition That we are sensible what confusions divisions tumults and parties are made by these mens disturbances and cannot but with sadness of spirit remember that such small beginnings have in other nations grown to eat out their peace and stagger the foundation of their States as also to lay it before you what advantage it gives for the common enemy weakens the Parliaments interest in the peoples hearts Answ Truth ever stirred up confusion where it was though it lay close till truth came Luke 12. 49. as you read in the Scriptures Christ came to put fire in the earth and the Apostles where they came in the markets or Synagogues who witnessed forth the substance to draw people to it to serve the Lord in newness of life to come up into the everlasting truth and peace then every one stood up in his own imagination and thoughts as you do now to oppose the truth and said they would turn the world up side down Pr. Petition To see such persons unrestrained creats discontents and laies a clear foundation for civill wars or at least advantage to the Hollanders or French now in arms against us to carry on their wicked intentions with greater facility Answ The intention of your mind is to have truth restrained which takes away the occasions of all wars and brings into love and true heartedness and there is nothing discontent with us but that which doth not abide in the truth And wheras thou speakest of weakning the Parliaments interest and laying a foundation of new war This is hatched in your own minds so to incense ignorant people it is your own interest that you fear for if the Parliament should take away your Tythes and your means little love would appear to them for it hath been already said by you that the Parliament hath opened a gap for all blasphemings but the hands of evil doers we do not strengthen and you are the men that raise up civill warres against them that live peaceably and love peace and go about to take away the ocasions of all warres For the world raises up a persecution and a civill warre against a peaceable people whose intents are to bring up all to God to live in unity one with another to be of one heart and one mind and one soul to seive God in newness of life whom Christ Iesus hath set free from the Traditions and Rudiments of the world Now who are set free from the world you bring under your bondage and perfecute them if they will not obey you shewing forth the nature of Pharaoh not letting Israel go to serve God Priests Petition Therefore as you are Christians and English Magistrates vve are freemen born of England and desiring somthing more as instruments under God with others of your present peace do beg an chalenge from you Answ Now you shew your complements we are no breakers of peace who owns the peace owns us and he that bears this sword that cuts Rom. 13. 4. down all corruption and filthiness owns us For there is no peace to the vvicked saith God and this you shall all find vvho vvould have peace to that vvhich must die it is your eternall peace and eternal souls good that we are moved of the Lord to speak unto you for which eternally you shall witness Priests Petition 1. Your timely looking unto the Peace of England that it seems too evidently to be endeavored to be rent asunder Answ Justices that keeps peace we honor and set up and wait all for the peace but your intention in this is to have truth suppressed and wickedness flourish and the works of darkness not discovered here is Justice weakned and the hand of evil doers strengthened against the innocent which ever the chief Priests

did for they asked to release Barabas and crucifie Jesus the innocent and gathered the Elders against him to seek to put him to death so do you now where he is made manifest who are of the same generation Priests Petition 2. The protection of our selves and our Ministers from violence or disturbance in our worship of God and suppression of offenders Answ Where did the Saints or Ministers of God seek to a Magistrate to protect their worship but Acts 24. 5. on the contrary they were persecuted of such which the Jews and Priests did incense them to which is the same you do now as the Jews who came against Paul and said he was a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition a stirrer up of heresie a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens turning the world up side down and teaches contrary to our Custom and this holy place he told them God dwelled not in Temples made with hands neither was he worshipped with mens hands Acts 17. 24 25 which outward custom you are upholding now in the same nature that they were in when the Jews brought Paul to Felix holding up their own customs by an outward Law as imprisoning him Paul had no Law to maintain him but the Law of God and the eternal Word to guide him and Mat. 23. 4. Gal. 1. 1. Isaiah 33. 22. the same we do witness against all the powers of men but the power of God let every soul be subject too Priests Petition 3. Execution of the Statute against Sabboth breakers and such as under pretence of Religion are in no Religious Assemblies that day Answ All that live in pretence of Religion and not in power is nothing all that owns pure Religion owns us and all that owns the Sabboth the eternal Rest the eternal day owns us but while people have met together to set up you who in the week day invented fashions and on that day put it on so the eye goes out looking at new fashions and in the week day follows oathes drunkenness prophaneness pleasures and such practises we deny but to live righteously soberly in this present world this we own and whom you finde wrangling walking in uncleanness cursed speaking fighting drunkenness upon such you should lay the Law for the Law was made for the Lawless but you pretended Ministers seek to bring upon us bounds who are redeemed from these ways through the love and power of God if you were the Ministers of God you would go about to bring people from under all Law up to God but you shew your selves to be of that generation which shut the Kingdom of heaven from Mat. 23. 13. men which Kingdom is a Kingdom of peace this we witness Priests Petition 4. Charge to all differing judgements to meet together each Lords day peaceably and not to spread themselves to several places for disturbance Answ If any be moved by the Lord to come into your Assemblies to speak the word of the Lord unto them for your souls eternal happiness would you have this limitted this is your intent to limit the Holy one of Israel As for disturbance we all deny and to draw people up to God that we do out of all carnal ways for God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and this worship we own and who are here denies all your Temples and Priests herein is one Priest Jesus Christ the Biship of our souls for they who received the Substance denyed the Priests and they met together the first day of the week and when any was moved to go forth they went and witnessed forth the Substance to them that lived in the Shadows this we do and now to deny you Priests being ye cannot witness your call the Temple which God never commanded they that are in the Temples of God do This dark Ministry hath long reigned over people and kept them in bondage underimitated forms but Luke 1. 79. now God is raising a light in his people to gather them up to himself to live in love and unity one with another Pr. Pet. 5. Suppression of persons living without any calling Answ Then this suppression must come upon your selves for you cannot witness that ever you were called of God or sent forth by Jesus Christ to preach the everlasting truth for if you were you would not raise up persecution against them that witness a call from the Lord who of you receive whipping stocking stoning prisoning buffeting and haling us out of your Assemblies who do pretend your selves to be Ministers of Christ wait to have that suppressed in your selves that persecutes then you will not seek to oppress the just for your own ends that ye might be maintained in your beastly worship and your Antichristian ways Priests Petition 6. And your witnessing against all blasphemers of the name of God especially such as are contained in the Acts of Parliament Answ If you would have them witness against all Blaspemers then they must witness against you who calls evil good and good evil and vents forth so many Blasphemies against them who live in the power of truth Priests Petition And if the application of any effectual remedy lie not within your power that you will dlease to joyn with us in this desire and transmit this cause to the knowledge of the Right Honorable the Councel of State as a cause so nearly concerning the peace of England and we shall ever pray c. Answ You would have a Law or an Act forth under a pretence to suppress the truth under the name of Blaspemy because it doth shake your Kingdom who live in your self ends for ranting ways and blaspemy we utterly deny and takers of Gods name in vain which you do in every word you speak because ye know him not he is merciful to the just and unjust but you shew your cruelty against the just and persecute them Here you shew forth your serpentine nature and would beget others in the same envy to joyn with you to be the stronger to tread down the truth as it is written The Beast shall make war against the Lamb but the Lamb get the victory praises praises for ever be to the Lord God Almighty you say the Lords Prayer Forgive us as we forgive them that trespass against us but you persecute them that seeks your souls health seeking you and not yours their prayers are an abomination to the Lord. And what is Right and Honorable will Prov. 28. 9. Iohn 5. 44. Prov. 20. 3. Rev. 14. 7. deny all you and your Petitions for they who owns God and Christ owns us who owns peace owns us and we them in our souls but all the pretenders of God and godliness who live in uncleanness and ungodliness denying the power that cuts down iniquity which we own and set up Therefore all people whose mindes are now bent to raise up persecution and Priests who stands railing in your Pulpits incensing ignorant people